It looked as if Spain had snatched a
dramatic late win when Jennifer Hermoso put them ahead five minutes
before the final whistle, but England defender Laura Bassett swung her
leg at Anita Asante's header from Rachel Yankey's corner three minutes
later to level the game at 2-2.

However, Alexia Putellas ensured Spain had the final word in the last minute of stoppage-time when Adriana Martin's cross was fumbled by Bardsley under pressure from the substitute Spain striker.

Spain took the lead in the fourth minute when Boquete finished off a flowing move up the left wing to beat Bardsley in the England goal.

However, England were back level three minutes later when Aluko burst into the Spain box after picking up Jill Scott's inch-perfect through ball from the left to fire into the bottom lefthand corner.

Fara Williams then tested Spain
goalkeeper Tirapu Ainhoa with a well-taken shot from just outside of the
area, but her shot was tipped over the bar, with England failing to
make any impact from the resulting corner.

Eye on the target: Eniola Aluko equalised for England in the eighth minute

GROUP C FIXTURES

July 15: England v Russia, Spain v France

July 18: France v England, Russia v Spain

Bardsley then saved Sonia Bermudez's strike as both sides continued their early tempo before

Boquete again tested the England defence when she broke down the middle, Casey Stoney eventually forcing her shot to go wide.

The
two sides went into half-time locked at 1-1 and cancelled each other
out after the break, before Spain's Vicky Losada was unlucky not to put
her side ahead in the 74th minute when she wasted a golden opportunity
and hit the bar from six yards out.

England
then went close when Ellen White just sent the ball wide of the right
post after a good counter attacking move which resulted in Karen Carney
sending in a perfect cross to the box.

But it was Spain who make the
breakthrough when a poor clearance by England saw the ball fall at the
feet of Hermoso in the 85th minute, who fired it past four defenders on
the goalline to give her side the lead.

Howler: Bardsley fails to deal with the cross and the ball bounces off her head and into the net to give Spain a last gasp victory

Bassett
hit back moments later and it looked like Hope Powell's side had taken a
well-earned point from their opening game, but Spain continued to press
and Putellas punished them in stoppage-time as her shot rebounded off
Bardsley's head to give her side all three points.

After the game, England coach Powell admitted her side had lost their mental sharpness at times during the match.

She told BBC Three: 'Our (tiredness) was more mental, theirs was more physical. They knew we were in a game.

'We didn't play today. We will go again. There are two more games in the group so it's not lost.

'We have to win those two games.'

When asked what improvements England need to make ahead of their next match against Russia on Monday, Powell said: "We will be very positive.